UC Berkeley’s new Dreambox is a vending machine like no other – it incorporates a 3D printer that makes and dispenses goodies right before your eyes! By connecting to a cloud-based computing system hosted within the machine, customers can upload their designs and set them in the cue for printing.

The designers of Dreambox wanted a place for 3D printing enthusiasts to see their designs being created—a treat they don’t get to see if they place an order online or with a print shop.

The renderings are processed, printed, and then (like any other vending machine) popped into a drawer for the customer to collect. Should the customer not be present, they can rest easy, knowing that their printed design is safe, as the storage drawers are locked until needed. Each customer is then given an unlock code, which frees their newly printed masterpiece.

3D printing has drastically changed the ideas of manufacturing over the past few years, making design more accessible to the user, and changing the idea of prototypes—since they can just be printed piecemeal. In that vein, the Dreambox makes 3D printing even more accessible, allowing designers to print their designs on the spot without going through an online printer or purchasing their own 3D printing machine.